Stop The Pain: Natural Remedies For Migraines

By Joan Friedrich, Ph.D.

Headaches manifest themselves in a variety of ways depending on a person's stress level, physiology, diet and even immune responses. Tension headaches that tighten muscles in the back of the neck plague the slouching office worker who squints at a monitor and worries about a deadline.

Sinus headaches painfully signal barometric changes to those unfortunate enough to have misshapen sinus cavities prone to infections. Then there are migraines—the most frequently occurring and widely studied form of headache. They strike 10 percent of the population for no sound biological reason. Women ages 25 to 44 suffer the most. Migraines that affect women generally occur during ovulation or just before, during or right after a menstrual period. According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, the prevalence of migraines among the U.S. population has increased nearly 60 percent since the late 1980s—an increase many attribute to poor nutrition, environmental pollution and elevated immune responses.

Migraines appear to have a strong genetic component and commonly occur among family members. The typical migraine lasts from one to 72 hours and usually hits once a month. Ten to 20 percent of people who suffer migraines see shimmering lights, feel pins and needles, or have difficulty thinking and speaking before the pain hits.

The Makings of a Migraine
Migraines are vascular, meaning they are generally characterized by changes in cerebral blood vessels. Many scientists now believe migraines are caused by a sequence of chemical changes that cause blood vessels in the brain to constrict, then dilate—resulting in throbbing pain. Such blood vessel changes are caused by a fluctuation of serotonin, a naturally occurring neurotransmitter derivative of tryptophan found in blood platelets and in both brain and intestinal cells. Serotonin influences pain mediation, sleep, mood, digestion, cardiovascular function and temperature control.

Medications that alter serotonin levels are being developed to treat migraine headaches. Although it has not been tested on migraines, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) effectively increases the central nervous system synthesis of serotonin and may have an effect on blood vessel dilation.¹ As an intermediate metabolite of L-tryptophan, 5-HTP is involved in the biosynthesis of serotonin and easily crosses the blood/brain barrier.

While genetics or acquired neurochemical changes are the source of most recurring headaches, various other circumstances can provoke, aggravate or intensify headaches. Stress and hormonal responses as well as reactions to foods and pollution also cause chemical changes in the brain and possibly affect cranial blood vessels. People with migraines, in particular, are affected by certain foods and dietary chemicals, stress, disturbed wake/sleep cycles, bright light, television viewing, hormone fluctuations, fumes, odors, weather and environmental changes.

Dietary excess—too much sugar, alcohol or junk food—is often linked to migraine headaches by the people who suffer them. In addition, flavorings, colorings, pesticides, allergenic foods such as wheat and soy, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, preservatives such as sodium nitrate, food additives such as monosodium glutamate, and heavy-metal contaminants in tap water may also be culprits.^2-5 Copper, a necessary nutrient, can be toxic at high doses and has been linked to headaches.⁶

Both allergic reactions and nonallergic sensitivities may lie behind migraines triggered by food intolerances. In a classic 1979 study published in Lancet, 60 migraine sufferers reacted to wheat (78 percent); oranges (65 percent); eggs (45 percent); tea and coffee (40 percent each); chocolate and milk (37 percent each); beef (35 percent); and corn, cane sugar and yeast (33 percent each). When subjects avoided these 10 common foods, their monthly headaches decreased. In fact, 85 percent of subjects were headache-free when they watched their diets.⁷ In a 1994 study, 20 migraine patients following a food-elimination diet for four to six weeks found that milk products, sweets, corn, beef, coffee and tea were common food triggers.⁸

Other studies have found that foods rich in the amino acids tyramine and phenylalanine can prompt changes in blood vessel tone. The platelet-aggregating effect of tyramine may be involved in constricting blood vessels and inhibiting blood flow. Some tyramine-rich foods include fermented products such as beer and wine as well as pickled products, bananas, figs, prunes, pineapples, raisins and cheese. Phenylalanine, a neuropeptide component, is converted to tyrosine, which in turn is part of the neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. Phenylalanine is found in chocolate, turkey, pork, wild game, wheat germ and ricotta.

Magnesium, a mineral found in soybeans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fish, is one of the most promising nutrients in headache research.

Foods including pork, cured meats, cheese, bananas, shellfish, hot dogs, pizza, nuts, cola drinks, coffee, teas, cereals and grains are also associated with migraine onset as are some beans and vegetables and various alcoholic beverages including red wine, beer and whiskey.⁹ Often, it is not the food itself but what's in it that is a problem. For instance, cured meats such as bacon and ham contain sodium nitrites that are known to trigger reactions in some people.

Painful Stress Response
Poor blood-sugar regulation and hypoglycemia are sometimes overlooked, yet are recognized triggers for migraines. According to Rodolfo Low, author of Migraine (Henry Holt, 1987), refined and simple sugar prompts excess insulin release from the pancreas, which can drop blood sugar below normal.¹⁰

Low blood sugar creates a biochemical stress response, also called the fight-or-flight response. The adrenal medulla releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and other catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. These chemicals, in turn, constrict and dilate blood vessels in the head and throughout the body.

The caffeine in coffee, tea and cola triggers a physiologic response similar to the sugar response, except the pancreas, which secretes insulin and digestive enzymes, is not initially stimulated. Instead, caffeine affects the adrenal glands and prompts the release of adrenaline and other catecholamines. Once this happens, glycogen is released from the liver into the bloodstream—in essence raising blood sugar levels and setting the pancreas in motion to release insulin and lower blood sugar.

Foods rich in tyramine pose additional problems for people who suffer migraines. Tyramine, a blood vessel dilator, stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and the fight-or-flight stress response. People who have hypertension, asthma, epilepsy, angina or diabetes should avoid tyramine because it may exacerbate their condition. Furthermore, it may prompt headaches in people who are taking certain types of antidepressants.⁵

Migraine-Beating Nutrients
Numerous nutrients can be used both before and during a headache to lessen migraine pain. The following supplements are shown to work best.

• Magnesium One of the most promising nutrients in headache research is magnesium, a mineral contained in soybeans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fish. Magnesium is needed for healthy muscle, nerve and blood vessel tone and is thought to help prevent blood vessel spasms.
  
  

  In a 1996 German study of 81 migraine patients published in the headache journal Cephalalgia, 41.6 percent of subjects taking oral magnesium reduced both the duration and intensity of migraine attacks.¹¹ They also reduced their reliance on medications to control their migraines.

• Fatty Acids American researchers suggest that a combination of magnesium taurate and fish oil may help prevent migraine headaches, based on the ability of both to reduce blood vessel spasms.¹²
  
  

  A 1997 study showed that gamma-linolenic (GLA) and alpha-linolenic (ALA) fatty acid supplements reduced the severity, frequency and duration of total migraine attacks by 86 percent. During the six-month study, 22 percent of the 168 patients no longer had migraine attacks, and 90 percent experienced less nausea and vomiting.¹³

• Vitamins B and D In a double-blind 1998 study, Belgian researchers found that vitamin B2 (riboflavin), a mitochondrial nutrient necessary for energy metabolism, provided more effective relief than placebo in reducing the severity and frequency of migraine attacks.¹⁴ Fifty-nine percent of 55 migraine sufferers in the study reported at least a 50 percent improvement compared with the 15 percent change reported by the placebo group.
  
  

  Feverfew prevents and treats migraines by stemming the release of blood vessel-dilating and inflammatory substances.

  Other studies conducted on premenopausal and postmenopausal women experiencing migraines demonstrated that vitamin D and calcium therapy provided relief.^15,16

• Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) Traditionally used in Europe for headache relief, feverfew's pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects appear to help many migraine sufferers when other methods fail.
  
  

  Feverfew prevents and treats migraine headaches by inhibiting the release of blood vessel-dilating substances from platelets, inhibiting the production of inflammatory substances and re-establishing proper blood vessel tone. In a 1988 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study reported in Lancet, feverfew treatment was associated with a reduction in the mean number and severity of migraine attacks and in the degree of vomiting.¹⁷

• Petasite (Petasites hybridus) German studies show that people taking petasite experienced significantly fewer migraine attacks, fewer migraine days, shorter migraine duration and less pain than a placebo group. Overall, the group taking petasite reported a 56 percent reduction in migraine attacks, similar to that of other preventive remedies.¹⁸ According to German Health Department standards, the herb's active constituents, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, must be used carefully to prevent potential health risks. Therefore, standardized forms of the herb are now being formulated in accordance with safety standards.
  
  

Understanding what triggers migraines is half the battle in treating them—and at this point, no one can say for sure what does cause them. People who think they suffer from migraines should consult a health care practitioner to get an accurate diagnosis and rule out any other health problems that may be contributing to their headaches.

Sidebars:
Other Headache Types

Joan A. Friedrich, Ph.D., is a New York-based clinical educator, diplomate in herbology and consultant holding board certifications in clinical nutrition and biofeedback therapy.

References

1. Birdsall TC. 5-hydroxytryptophan: a clinically effective serotonin precursor. Alt Med Rev 1998 Aug;3(4):271-80.

2. Seltzer S. Foods and food and drug combinations responsible for head and neck pain. Cephalalgia 1982 Jun;2(2);111-24.

3. Reif-Lehrer L. Possible significance of adverse reactions to glutamate in humans. Fed Proc 1976 Sept;35(11):2205-11.

4. Lipton RB, et al. Aspartame as a dietary trigger of headache. Headache 1989 Feb;29(2):90-2.

5. Van den Eeden SK, et al. Aspartame ingestion and headaches: a randomized crossover trial. Neurology 1994 Oct;44(10):1787-93.

6. Sidhu KS, et al. Need to revise the national drinking water regulation for copper. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 1995 Aug;22(1): 95-100.

7. Grant EC. Food Allergies and migraine. Lancet 1979 May 5;1(8123):966-9.

8. Borok G, et al. Migraine: treatment by personalized elimination program. Neurology Congress 1994 Mar.

9. Leira R, Rodriguez R. Diet and migraine. Rev Neurol 1996 May 24;129:534-8.

10. Low R. Migraine. New York: Henry Holt. 1987

11. Peikert A, et al. Prophylaxis of migraine with oral magnesium: results from a prospective multicenter, placebo-controlled and double-blind randomized study. Cephalalgia 1996;16:257-63.

12. McCarty MF. Magnesium taurate and fish oil for prevention of migraine. Medical Hypothesis 1996 Dec;47(6):461.

13. Wagner W, Nootbaar-Wagner U. Prophylactic treatment of migraine with gamma-linolenic and alpha-linolenic acids. Cephalalgia 1997 Apr;17(2):127-30.

14. Schoenen J, et al. Effectiveness of high-dose riboflavin in migraine prophylaxis. A randomized controlled trial. Neurology 1998 Feb;50(2):466-70.

15. Thys-Jacobs S. Vitamin D and calcium in menstrual migraine. Headache 1994 Oct;34(9):544-6.

16. Thys-Jacobs S. Alleviation of migraines with therapeutic vitamin D and calcium. Headache 1994 Nov-Dec;34(10):590-2.

17. Murphy JJ, et al. Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of feverfew in migraine prevention. Lancet 1988 Jul 23;2(8604):189-92.

18. Anonymous. Extract aus Pestwurz schutze von migran. Arte Zeitung 1997;556(11).